SKY BLUES FA Cup-winning player Mickey Gynn knows all about the atmosphere of Wembley.

SKY BLUES FA Cup-winning player Mickey Gynn knows all about the atmosphere of Wembley. He played there in 1987.

The 39-year-old Royal Mail worker grew up looking on Wembley as the icon of English football, the place where everyone wanted to play.

But he knows it's the fans who make the atmosphere under the famous twin towers, and believes it could be recreated in Coventry.

As the campaign to bring the national stadium to Coventry's Foleshill gasworks site gathers pace, he recalled his time in the FA Cup Final.

"It was wonderful. It's got all the tradition and everything else, he said.

"As a young lad, everyone watches the Cup Final and dreams of playing at Wembley.

"To do it was great. But there's a new generation coming through now, so obviously if the national stadium was in the Midlands, they'd grow up feeling towards that stadium like I did towards Wembley.

"Older fans are a little bit stuck in their ways.

"Certainly the Football Association, the people who make these decisions, are.

"It would be nice if it was in the Midlands because it's a long way to travel to Wembley.

"And it's such a mess what's happened at Wembley, all the money they've wasted.

"Nothing's really moved forward there. It's a shame."

He believes football does need a national stadium, although England touring and playing at the grounds of big clubs gives fans across the country a chance to see their national team without travelling far.

He said: "I think you need to have a focal point. Football is the biggest sport in this country.

"It has such a massive following, I think it's important to have a national stadium."

The campaign to bring the national stadium to Coventry is gaining pace, with sports minister Dick Caborn expected in the city tomorrow.

Plans put forward are to build an 80,000-seater stadium at the Foleshill site earmarked by Coventry City FC for a new 40,000 seater stadium.